Refrigerating appliance



y 3, 1956 D. A. LEWIS, JR 2,752,761

REFRIGERATING APPLIANCE Filed Dec. 16, 1954 INVENTOR. DOA/A40 A. LEW/5: JP. BY J Arr-Nays United States The present invention relates to food refrigerating appliances and the like and, more particularly, to a domestic refrigerator and/ or a food freezer appliance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator and/or a food freezer appliance and the like having a new and improved storage cabinet which provides greatly improved accessibility to all parts of its storage space.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator and/ or a food freezer appliance and the like having a new and improved storage cabinet of the vertical or upright type in which a vertically extending section of the storage cabinet is made separable or movable and is hinged for horizontal movement to and from its cab inet closing position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a generally rectangular, box-like storage cabinet of the vertical or upright type in which the front corner sections of the storage cabinet are made separable and are hinged for horizontal movement to provide easy access to all portions of the storage cabinet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a generally rectangular refrigerator cabinet of the vertical or upright type in which the front corner sections of the cabinet are made separable or movable and are hinged adjacent their front inside corner edges for horizontal movement individually from a cabinet closing position to an open position forwardly of the storage cabinet.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator cabinet made in two or more vertical sections, one of said sections being adapted for stationary support and equipped with refrigeration mechanism, and another of said sections being hinged to said stationary section about a vertical axis and containing a cooling coil flexibly connected to the refrigeration mechanism attached to the stationary section.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present applica tion, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a household refrigerator embodying the principles of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1 showing the right-hand closure structure of its storage cabinet in its open position and indicating the cooling coils and connecting piping of its refrigeration system more or less schematically for claritys sake.

While the present invention has been shown in the drawing as embodied in a household refrigerator for storing food and other perishable commodities, it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to any type of refrigerating appliance wherein easy access to all parts of the appliance is desirable for the addition or removal of articles therefrom, as is the case in a refrigerator and/ or a food freezer appliance.

In its broader aspects, the present invention contemplates the provision of a storage cabinet for refrigerators,

atent 2,752,761 Patented July 3, 1956 food freezer appliances and the like having one or more sections of its enclosure made separable and hinged so that the separable section or sections of the storage cabinet may be swung to an open position wherein easy access is obtained to the separable sections and to the adjacent portions of the remainder of the storage cabinet. The storage cabinet may be of any suitable shape, as for example, cylindrical or a generally rectangular, box-like shape, and the separable sections may extend for only a portion of the height of the storage cabinet or they may extend for the full height of the storage cabinet, depending upon the particular application. The above-described separable sections may be spaced apart from one another by stationary portions of the cabinet, or they may comprise adjoining sections of the cabinet, which latter arrangement will be seen to have particular advantages from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The storage cabinet A of the refrigerator shown in the drawing comprises a rectangularly shaped, box-like structure 10 having two separable corner sections 11 and 12 hinged about vertical axes for horizontal movement to open positions permitting access to the separable sections and t0 the remaining portion of the storage cabinet. The separable corner sections of the cabinet 11 and 12 respectively may be of any desired height, width and depth provided each section contains a suitable fraction of the total volume of the cabinet and may be hinged to the stationary portion 13 of the cabinet in any convenient manner. The cabinet, as viewed in Fig. 2, will have particular advantages, however, where the separable corner sections each have a width approximately equal to one-half of the front side of the cabinet and together form the front section of the cabinet, and Where the separable sections are hinged along a common vertical axis positioned between the separable sections adjacent the front surface of the cabinet as shown in the drawing. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment the storage cabinet thus comprises a generally rectangular, box-like stationary section 13 open on its forward face 14 and two rectangularly shaped, box-like separable or movable sections 11 and 12 each having a height equal to the height of the stationary section 13 and a width approximately equal to one-half of the width of its open face with the separable sections 11 and 12 being hinged about a common vertical axis 9 positioned forwardly of the midpoint of the open face 14 of the stationary section a distance approximately equal to the depth of the movable sections to form the closure members of the cabinet. Stated in slightly different language, the storage cabinet A shown comprises a generally rectangularly shaped, box-like structure having its two front quarter sections made movable and hinged about a common vertical axis positioned adjacent the midpoint of the front surface of the cabinet.

The separable or movable sections 11 and 12 of the storage cabinet may be made to seal the cabinet when in their closed position in any suitable manner. As shown in the drawing, the forward face 14 of the stationary section 13 is made relatively smooth to provide a proper sealing surface and is provided with relatively narrow, forwardly projecting members 15 and 16 on its top and bottom surfaces 17 and 18 respectively, which in effect extend the sealing surfaces of the stationary section 13 forwardly between the closed positions of the movable members. A vertical post 20 is positioned between the forward ends of the forwardly projecting members 15 and 16 immediately behind the hinge structure 21 to provide a separate, continuous stationary sealing surface for each movable section to seal against. A continuous rubber strip 22 is provided along cooperating surfaces on the movable members such that a seal is effected when the movable members are in their closed positions. Alternatively, the forwardly projecting members 15 and 16 can be omitted and the movable sections 11 and 12 made to more closely abut each other in their closed position such that the rubber sealing strip on each movable section abuts the vertical surfaces of the other movable section along their adjacent forwardly extending sides and with the respective front half of the stationary member 13 alongthe rear transversely extending face of the movable members.

The storage cabinet A is suitably positioned above the floor by a base structure B which extends beneath the entire storage cabinet including the movable members and which supports the lower end of the hinge structure 21. The upper end of the hinge structure 21 is spaced from the stationary section 13 of the storage cabinet by means of a generally V-shaped bracket 23 affixed to its topmost edge and overlying the forwardly projecting member 15. The hinge structure itself comprises a rod, not seen, affixed to the base and to the V-shaped bracket at opposite ends and surrounded by three sections of a tubular member 24 to form a piano type hinge, the upper and lower sections of which are attached to the left hand movable section 11 and the middle section of which is attached to the right hand movable section 12. Each movable section has a door handle 25 of more or less conventional design afiixed to its outer side surface adjacent the front surface of the box and adapted to cooperate with suitable latch mechanism to hold the sections in their closed positions.

The storage cabinet A may be refrigerated in any convenient manner. The refrigeration system shown comprises a section of cooling coils 30 afiixed to the inside of the surface of the enameled liner 31 of each of the movable sections 11 and 12 and a section of cooling coil 32 afiixed to the inside of the enameled liner of the stationary section 33, which are supplied with a refrigerant from a more or less conventional refrigerating unit C located in the base B of the refrigerator. The refrigerating unit C comprises a compressor 34 suitably driven by a motor 35, the discharge of which compressor is connected to a condenser-receiver 36. Liquid refrigerant from the condenser-receiver is bled to the cooling coil 30 of the right hand movable section 12 through a flexible connection 37 extending through a hole in the forwardly projecting member 16 and is conducted from the cooling coil 30 in the right movable section to the cooling coil 30 of the left movable section by another flexible connection 38. Refrigerant from the left movable section passes through another flexible connection 40 extending through member 16 to stationary piping 41 in the base of the refrigerator connected to the cooling coil 32 of the stationary section which in turn is connected to the compressor 34 to complete the refrigeration circuit.

One or both of the movable sections 11 and 12 might be closed off by a system of doors along their two side surfaces which normally lie inwardly of the cabinet to form freezer compartments. In addition, sliding or other types of doors might also be provided along the front face of the stationary section 13 and the whole cabinet used as a food freezer. Particular advantage will be seen in providing doors for the internal sides of each of the compartments, whether the appliance is used as a refrigerator or a food freezer in that cold air will be retained in each of the cabinet sections when the storage cabinet is open and the operating expense of the appliance thereby reduced. However from the standpoint of convenience the omission of such doors is desirable.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated, as well as others, have been accomplished and that there has been provided a new and improved storage cabinet for refrigerators, food freezer appliances, and the like in which sections or compartments of the cabinet are made movable so as to provide better access to the contents of the cabinet.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, the invention is not limited to the particular construction shown, as it is the intention to hereby cover all adaptations and modifications thereof which come within the terms of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a refrigerating appliance, a rear box-like structure open across its forward side, top and bottom projecting parts extending forward from the middle of said rear box-like structure and a pair of auxiliary box-like structures of one-half the width of said rear structure mounted on vertical hinge means carried in said projecting parts, each of said auxiliary structures having a rear open side registering with half of the open side of said rear structure and having an open lateral side registering with the adjacent side of the other auxiliary section.

2. In a refrigerating appliance, an enclosure having an opening in its front surface, left and right movable, generally box-like structures having a height approximately equal to the height of said opening and a width approximately equal to one-half of the width of said opening, said movable, generally box-like structures being adapted to close said opening of said enclosure when positioned side by side in front of said opening, and vertical hinge means positioned centrally and forwardly of saidv opening of said enclosure a distance approximately equal to the depth of said movable, generally box-like structures, said hinge means supporting said movable structures for individual horizontal movement relative to said enclosure through an angle of approximately from their respective positions closing said opening to respective positions, permitting access to both movable structures and to one portion of said enclosure.

3, In a refrigerating appliance, an enclosure having an opening in its front surface, left and right movable, generally box-like structures having a height approximately equal to the height of said opening and a width approximately equal to one-half of the width of said opening, said movable, generally box-like structures being adapted to close said opening of said enclosure when positioned side by side in front of said opening, and vertical hinge means positioned centrally and forwardly of said opening of said enclosure a distance approximately equal to the depth of said movable, generally box-like structures, said hinge means supporting said movable structures for individual horizontal movement relative to said enclosure through an angle of 180 approximately from their respective positions closing said opening torespectivepositions, permitting access to the respective movable structure and to the adjacent portion of said enclosure, refrigerating mechanism attached tosaid enclosure, a cooling coil mounted in one of said movable, generally box-like structures, and means. connecting said cooling coil with said refrigerating mechanism.

4. In a refrigerating appliance, a' first generally rectangular, open-sided box-like structure positioned. uprightly with its open side facing forwardly, left and right movable box-like structures each having aheight approximately equalto the height of said first box-like structure and a width approximately equal to one-half of its.open side, said movable box-like structures being adapted to close said open side of said first box-like structure and form a resulting storage cabinetwhen positioned vertically in respective side-by-side positions in front of Said open side of said first box-like structure, and vertical hinge means positioned centrally and forwardly of said open side of said first box-like structure a distance approximately equal to the depth of said movable box-like structures, saidhinge meanssupporting said movable boxlike structures for individual horizontal movement relative to said open-sided box-like structure through an angle of 180? approximately from their respective cabinet closing positions to respective. open positions permitting access to both movable box-like structures and to one portion of said first box-like structure.

5. In a refrigerating appliance, a first generally rectangular, open-sided box-like structure positioned uprightly with its open side facing forwardly, left and right movable box-like structures each having a height approximately equal to the height of said first box-like structure and a width approximately equal to one-half of its open side, said movable box-like structures being adapted to close said open side of said first box-like structure and form a resulting storage cabinet when positioned vertically in respective side-by-side positions in front of said open side of said first box-like structure, and vertical hinge means positioned centrally and forwardly of said open side of said first box-like structure a distance approximately equal to the depth of said movable box-like structures, said hinge means supporting said movable boxlike structures for individual horizontal movement to rel.- tive to said open-sided box-like structure through an angle of 180 approximately from their respective cabinet closing positions to respective open positions permitting access to the respective movable box-like structure and to the adja ent portion of said first box-like structure, refrigerating mechanism attached to said first box-like structure, a cooling coil mounted in one of said movable, generally box-like structures, and means connecting said cooling coil with said refrigerating mechanism.

6. In a refrigerating appliance, a cabinet comprising, a first generally rectangular, open-sided box-like structure positioned uprightly with its open side facing forwardly and having a suitable sealing surface around the periphery of its open side; a U-shaped member having suitable sealing surfaces on its opposite side surfaces with its ends attached to the center of the top and bottom portions respectively of said sealing surface of said first box-like structure and extending generally perpendicularly thereto; left and right movable box-like structures each having a height approximately equal to the height of said first box-1ike structure, a width corresponding to the distance between the respective side edges of said first box-like structure and said U-shaped sealing member, and a depth corresponding to the depth of said U-shaped member; hinge means positioned adjacent the forward end of said U-shaped member supporting said movable box-like structures relative to said first boxlike structure for independent horizontal movement between respective cabinet closing positions adjacent respective sides of said U-shaped member and said open side of said first box-like structure, and respective positions providing access to the respective movable section and to the adjacent portions of said first box-like structure; and means providing sealing engagement between said movable box-like structures and adjacent sealing surfaces of said U-shaped member and said first box-like structure when said movable box-like structures are in their cabinet closing positions.

7. In a refrigerating appliance, a first generally rectangular, open-sided box-like structure positioned uprightly with its open side facing forwardly and having a suitable sealing surface around the periphery of its open side; a U-shaped member having suitable sealing surfaces on its opposite side surfaces with its ends attached to the center of the top and bottom portions respectively of said sealing surface of said first box-like structure and extending generally perpendicularly thereto; left and right movable box-like structures each having a height approximately equal to the height of said first box-like structure, a width corresponding to the distance between the respective side edges of said first box-like structure and said U-shaped sealing member, and a depth corresponding to the depth of said U-shapcd structure; said first and movable box-like structures comprising the storage cabinet for said appliance; hinge means positioned forwardly of said U -shaped member supporting said movable box-like structures relative to said first box-like structure for independent horizontal movement about a common vertical axis between respective cabinet closing positions adjacent respective sides of said U-shaped member and said open side of said first box-lii e structure,

and respective positions providing access to the respective movable section and to the adjacent portions of said first box-like structure; means providing scaling engagement between said movable box-like structures and adjacent sealing surfaces of said U-shaped member and said first box-like structure when said movable box-like structures are in their cabinet closing positions; a base structure extending beneath said movable box-like structures and said first box-like structure; means attaching the lower end of said hinge means to said base structure; and means attaching the upper end of said hinge means to the upper end of said first box-like structure.

8. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein each of said auxiliary structures is adapted to swing through an angle of into position in front of the other auxiliary structure, whereby both of its open sides are made accessible from the front of the appliance.

9. In a refrigerating appliance, a rear box-like structure having an opening in its front side, left and right movable generally box-like structures having a height approximately equal to the height of said opening and a width approximately equal to one-half the width of said opening, each of said movable structures having a rear open side registering with half of the open side of the rear structure and a lateral open side registering with the adjacent side of the other movable structure, vertical hinge means positioned centrally and forwardly of said opening of said rear structure a distance approximately equal to the depth of said movable structures, said hinge means supporting each of said movable structures for individual horizontal movement through an angle of 180 from its closed position to a position in front of the other movable structure, whereby the contents of both movable structures are made accessible along with the contents of one-half of the said rear structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,139,441 Clark Dec. 6, 1938 2,480,640 Fowler Aug. 30, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 119,668 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1927 

